Clash Of The Fates
by HeartOvaLion
Summary: Finished! Laguna comes to Squall with some news, a new enemy has come,Selphie starts having feelings for Zell but how will he react when he realizes he loves Quistis? What will Irvine do when his girl falls for another man? RxR please!
1. Family

This is my first fanfic so please don't bombard me with e-mails telling me how crappy it is ok, only write if you have something positive to say. Also This Fanfic is the result of the many Fanfics I have read, so if there is something that you recognize as your own and are offended of my use of said parts, let me know and I will gladly revise it. This is my work so don't copy it or put it to any other use aside from reading without my approval. With that said all characters in this fanfic are property of Square Soft and I'm not getting any money doing this so I guess that doesn't really matter.  
  
  
  
1 Unforgiven  
  
2 By GunBlade  
  
Chapter 1  
  
As the sun rose on the new day, Squall woke up the same way he always did: with that horrible morning taste in his mouth and blurry eyes. He looked over to his window and watched for a moment as the sun rose, savoring every moment of peace and tranquility. It had been almost two months since Ultimacia had been defeated but not much had changed. Squall was still head commander of all the SeeDs on their floating Garden. Rinoa moved out of her home and was now a full-fledged SeeD. Not bad for someone who had never really considered the life of a SeeD, All in all she had managed to become a one in less than a month. She and Matron had weekly lessons to help her get a better understanding of her new powers, and she rather enjoyed the company of another Sorceress or rather Ex-Sorceress. Selphie and Irvine broke up, then they got back together, then broke up again and finally got back together. Oh yeah they broke up again and eventually got back together. However Zell was not so lucky and he and the Girl with the pigtail who worked in the library broke up and stayed that way. Zell didn't really have that big a problem with it. He figured if that was what she wanted, who was he to get in the way of her happiness. She did nothing more than realize that the image of Zell she had in her head wasn't what he turned out to be at all. Quistis eventually regained her teacher's license however decided that she would put off the hectic life of a teacher for a while and became a personal tutor to some of the more gifted students.  
  
The mornings were tiring for everyone however, as they all had to get up extra early in the morning so that they could all head down to the cafeteria before the place filled with eager students, wanting to hear yet again of how the six of them had saved the world and beaten the ultimate evil. Squall and Rinoa were late that morning, though it didn't really bother anyone. Once the whole gang was there it painted a portrait of a group of friends that couldn't be closer. Zell telling jokes with one too many hotdogs in his mouth and Selphie having to slap his back so he could swallow his food and finish telling his joke of the day. Irvine of course was sitting next to Selphie urging her to tell a joke of her own (preferably one more tasteful than Zell's). Squall and Rinoa would look at each other as two people in love would do, and Poor Quistis would sit there next to Zell blushing at the sheer immaturity of his joke. It was one of the best mornings they had ever had.  
  
The rest of the day went pretty well. At about 2:00 pm, Squall and Quistis were summoned to Cid's office and were told that Laguna, Ellone, Ward and Kiros would be visiting the Garden for a few days. However Cid stressed that Ellone wanted to see Squall in private when they arrived. When Squall asked why, all Cid replied with was "She wouldn't say, but it didn't sound like anything too serious." With that they dismissed. They both saluted and started walking away from Cid. Squall looking back as he walked out. Quistis noticed this and asked if he was ok, Squall just nodded his head still wondering, "Why did sis want to talk to me in private? I hope everything is ok." They entered the elevator and headed toward the balcony entrance (witch was where they all hung-out) to tell everyone of the news.  
  
As the private shuttle landed Laguna could feel his leg starting to cramp up. Ellone sitting next to him helped him out of the shuttle, whispering to him, "Don't worry so much, it will all be ok." Laguna merely replied, "I hope to the gods your right." When all four of them reached the Garden they went straight to Cid's office. Laguna explained to Cid why he had come and asked if word of their arrival had already been announced. Of course as he expected the answer was no. They all had a brief conversation with Cid and then finally Squall and the rest of were told to come up to his office to greet the honored guests. When they all arrived Laguna asked that while Squall and Ellone talked in private, if he and the others could be given a tour of the garden.  
  
Once the others were gone Ellone asked Squall if there was a place were they could talk without being interrupted. Squall could think of no other place than the "secret place" that Quistis had shown him on the night he met Rinoa, and with it being so early in the evening no one would be there to disturb them.  
  
It took awhile but they eventually arrived at their desired location when Ellone told Squall the he might just want to sit down for what she had to tell him. She began by telling him of the wonderful things she had been up to while living with Laguna. During the whole conversation she kept referring to how wonderful a person Laguna was, and although Squall didn't have anything against Laguna he was starting to get tired of hearing of what "a wonderful person he was." Eventually Ellone got her point and told Squall that she had found out the identity of his father and that Squall himself knew who he was too. Squall looking rather confused narrowed his eyes and tried to say something but as soon as he opened his mouth, it hit him. Who had she been talking about all this time, who did she keep referring to as "a wonderful person". The realization hit him so hard he nearly forgot to breath. He could barely think, "It can't be him! Anything but that! Why him, of all people why did it have to be that blundering idiot. I don't need this right now, my life is finally starting to calm down and I'm finally starting to be happy for once in my life, I don't need this. I don't want this!" Sure he didn't have anything against Laguna but spending time in Laguna's head hadn't made him like him either". Ellone put her hand on his shoulder and told him, "He's a good man and he really cares a lot about you. Just give him a chance. This was all his idea to let you know this way… he" Squall cut her off, " This way! Let me guess, he was to chicken to tell me himself and sent you to do it for him!" Ellone sharply answered, "No, he thought it would be best if you heard this from someone you trusted." Squall looked at her, and then spoke in a sarcastic tone. "I'll bet that damned leg of his didn't have anything to do with that." Ellone snapped back. "That's not fair" Squall just stood up, looked her straight in her eyes and said " Fair would be not having Laguna as a father, to know that everything he is, is in me. To have been in his head and to have seen him for what he really is, a coward." And with that Squall walked away. He didn't have anything against Laguna…until now.  
  
  
  
End Of Chapter 1 


	2. And So It Begins

Chapter 2  
  
Laguna had just finished telling everyone why he decided to come to Garden when Ellone came up from behind him. Everyone gathered around her to hear what she had to say; it was not the story they had hoped to hear. When she was done they all went silent. None of them could believe what they had heard, especially Rinoa. She believed that Squall was past being like this. After the great improvement he had made in just a few months. It would all be for nothing if this were the end result. Laguna stood up looked around the Quad. His leg was giving him trouble, "The least of my worries." He looked around at his friends, then at the friends he had just made. He knew no one was going to say what was painfully obvious, that he should go and see Squall now that the truth was out. So he got left the group, not really knowing what to expect from his son.  
  
Squall was sitting on the stairs that led to the elevator. He was just staring down at the ground in front of him when Laguna stepped up to him. "Can we talk?" he asked. "What's there to talk about?" Laguna doing his best to ignore his leg now throbbing in pain, he took a deep breath and gave words to what was in his heart. "If I had the power, if there was only some way I could make up for what I have done. You know I would. If I could make it all better I would but I can't." Squall lifted his head to look at Laguna with a cold and dead look in his eyes, a look colder than the most bitter winter in the dead of night. Then he spoke. "How long have you known?" "Of course that would have to be his first question" Laguna thought, "2 years after you were put in the orphanage, since then I have known." Squall stood up. "You have no right. To be gone all my life, never to look back. What did you expect? Sure dad let's go fishing, let's go hang out while we catch up on the last 15 years of my life!" Then a single tear shot down Squall's face, and what he said next tore through Laguna's heart like a jagged sword. "You have no right! I don't need you or any of your excuses. Get out of this Garden, out of my life and stay out! You will never EVER be part of my life." Laguna almost scared to say anything replied "But son…" Squall quickly cut him off. " Don't you dare call me that! My parents died when I was born. If you ever call me that again, the last thing you see will be my gunblade right before it slices through you." Squall turned his back starting to walk away but Laguna's voice stopped him. "If I really thought you believed that, I would just die." Squall simply replied "Then why are you still here?" He started walking again when Laguna reached out to Squall's shoulder. But Squall turned around so fast Laguna thought he was going to hit him. He tried to plead with him. "Please Squall don't end it like this." Squall just looked at him with his eyes filled with the burning hatred and passion of a thousand suns. "I hate you for everything you've done to me, but more importantly I hate you for what you did to my mother. You left her to die alone." Squall turned back around and just before he left he looked at Laguna trying to hold his tears back. Squall walked up to him to give him his final words. " There was a time when I would have wished death upon you but now your life will be your torment, I wish you a long one." With that Squall turned his back to Laguna for the last time and started walking. He didn't use to have anything against Laguna but now he had more than enough hate towards Laguna to last him a lifetime.  
  
  
  
End Of Chapter two 


	3. Worlds Collide

Hey, here's the part of my horrible story hope you like it ENJOY!  
  
Chapter 3.  
  
Squall was on his way back to his room. He had reached the hallway that led to his room with his head hung down when Quistis suddenly stopped him. "What the hell is wrong with you!" she asked. "I can't believe you would treat Laguna like that. All of us that lived at the orphanage would give anything to know that our parents were alive and wanted us back in their lives." Squall looked at Quistis knowing pretty much what else she had to say without her even having to say it. He always thought of her as sort of an older sister next to Ellone. But right now he didn't want to talk to anyone. So he merely replied. "You want him as a father you can have him, but I don't want anything to do with him. Now do me a favor and leave me alone for awhile." He stepped past her and made his way into his room. Quistis didn't really know what to do and she really didn't feel like trying to talk to Squall again. "Hopefully Rinoa will do a better job." She felt a little hungry and decided she would go hang out with Zell. She hoped his happy and carefree attitude would make her feel better.  
  
Rinoa was sitting in Squall's room waiting for him and was about to fall asleep when he finally entered the room. He wasn't expecting to find anyone in his room even though he shared it with her and was startled when she spoke. "I thought you were above all this. I thought you were a better person than what you turned into today." Rather than let her finish her speech, Squall interrupted her with what he hoped to be the end to this conversation. "He knew, all this time and he knew. Maybe if he found out a few weeks or months ago I could forgive maybe even a year ago. But he's known for fifteen years who I was and where I've been and didn't even bother see me." Rinoa tried to defend him, "He's been the president of a country, you don't know the pressure that he's gone through or the courage it took to come here." Squall heard every word and didn't care. "Family and friends come first, you taught me that. But he should have come up with that courage years ago. I can't forgive him. I wont!" He sat down next to Rinoa and held her hand. "I'm still the man you fell in love with, nothing can change that. But what Laguna did to my mother and me is unforgivable. He didn't find the courage in himself to come see me for the last fifteen years and he didn't even have the courage to see me tonight so he had Ellone do it for him. He turned his back on me and so I will do the exact same thing to him." Rinoa had never seen Squall this hurt. But she wasn't about to give up on bringing Squall to forgive Laguna. It would just take time.  
  
The next day started bright and early just like every other day. They were all gathered around their usual table eating but no one was talking, mostly because no one really knew what to say. Not even Zell wanted to talk for fear of getting beat up by the others. They were about to talk all at once when Cid came over the speaker system. "Would Squall, Quistis, Zell, Selphie, Irvine, and Rinoa please come to my office immediately. I have a new mission for you. They finished their breakfast and headed for Cid's office. "I have a bad feeling about this, I don't like this." Squall thought.  
  
  
  
Once they all arrived Cid got straight to the point knowing that there wasn't anytime to waste. They saluted in unison and hoped to the gods that it wasn't too bad a Situation. "After President Laguna arrived in Esthar last night he found the city under attack, and he has asked for your help. Groups of monsters have sprung up all over the city and the police and military forces of Esthar are starting to become overwhelmed. They want to destroy this enemy before it becomes too great for them to fight. You must leave as soon as possible." Cid turned on the holographic map and pointed out where they would be coming in from and where they could stay the night. They would see President Laguna after they check into the hotel. After that he looked and them and with a very serious tone said, " You must all leave now, quickly" They saluted and walked to their rooms to pack and they decided to meet at the garage in ten minutes. As they left in the car Squall couldn't help thinking to himself. "I don't like this at all."  
  
When they arrived in the city they found their hotel and split up into their rooms. Once they unpacked their things they headed out to meet Laguna. Squall hated being in Esthar, everything there reminded him of Laguna. He wasn't as mad at him as he was the night before but that didn't mean he was going to forgive Laguna. No one had spoken on the way there, why would they? Any questions they had would be answered once inside. "Maybe I should say something to them? I haven't talked to any of them aside from Quistis. Just because I had a brief discussion with someone I would prefer never to see again, doesn't mean that I'm not going to talk to them again." Suddenly almost out of nowhere Irvine was the first to talk when he put his hand on Squalls shoulder breaking his train of thought. "Hey we're here."  
  
They all took the pod that led up to the main hall and headed for Laguna's office. The long glass hallway that led to Laguna's office always made Squall feel a little uneasy. To put it simply he didn't like heights. He stopped before the doors and turned to face his team. "Despite whatever conflicts I may have with Laguna it shouldn't affect our friendship in anyway. You five are the best squad I could ask for and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I just want you guys to know that." With that said the turned back to look at the doors, he took a deep breath turned the knobs and pushed them open. Laguna was eagerly awaiting them. He first asked them what Cid had briefed them on and when they told him the little that they knew he couldn't believe his ears. They were told almost nothing about how bad the situation was and most importantly why these monsters were suddenly springing up out of nowhere. But that would have to wait. "There's really no time to explain but here is your mission. You will each split up into separate teams of two and go through the city destroying as many monsters as possible. Esthar military and police forces are already hard at work but we are slightly outnumbered and that is why I called on you." "We already know this.' Squall interrupted. "What parts of the city are infested the worst and when do you want us to report back?" Laguna pulled out a map of the city and showed them what they needed to know. The briefing was quick and all that was left was to decided who goes with whom. Squall decided he should go with Rinoa seeing as how this was her first SeeD mission. Irvine and Selphie were inseparable so they teamed up. Quistis led out a sigh of disappointment, she knew this would happen but was trying to be optimistic during the briefing. Not that she didn't like Zell, they had been paired up so many times that they had gotten fairly close to one another. In fact now that she thought about it she was really rather fond of him. He always let his emotions guide him instead of overly thinking out every little thing like she did. In a way he was a Yin to her Yang, maybe that's why she liked him. And really she couldn't see herself partnered up with anyone other than Zell.  
  
Squall and Rinoa headed towards the center of the city to drive out any monsters and kill the ones that didn't leave quietly. As they walked to their desired location, Squall and Rinoa looked at their surroundings. "Nothing but death." Rinoa whispered. Dead bodies lying around was all you could see, bodies stacked against walls, thrown against barricades, on the streets, hanging off buildings. Death was all you could see. Once they arrived at the center of the city they started chasing away the monsters that were left. It wasn't too bad though maybe if the others had the same situation they would all be home that night. Irvine and Selphie took to left side of the city going into a few building to rat out any monsters hiding away. They had found a few of the militia survivors and were happy to get the extra help, not that they really needed it. In only a short time they covered a good 3rd of their part of the city. It was easy a little too easy. Zell and Quistis were in the streets fighting off some of the monsters when Zell thought he saw something in the corner of his eye. He kicked off the monster that was slashing its claws at him and turned to see what it was. It was an Esthar soldier, he looked like he had gone through hell and back, he was in too bad of a condition to save and the look the soldiers face showed that he knew it too. He ran to the soldier to get him some place where he could die in piece when something flew past him, it was a grenade. And it landed just a few feet away from Quistis. Quickly Zell ran toward it and knew he only had a few seconds left. He grabbed the biggest monster nearest to him and tackled it to the ground and rolled it around so it's back was on to the grenade. With all his strength Zell held him in place, "Hope this works." He thought in his mind and as he turned to warn Quistis of the danger. "Quistis get…" Boooom! The grenade went off and pieces of the monster were flying all over Zell leaving nothing but the two arms of the monster that Zell was holding and a big pile of blood and guts. To say the least it was messy. The entire upper body and head of the monster that once was were gone. Leaving Zell drenched in green blood. The blast scared away the monsters that were left, Quistis ran over to see if Zell was ok, but couldn't stop giggling at him. "Are you, giggle* ok Zell?" he just looked up at her. He didn't like being made fun of so he figured a way to get back at her. Before he answered her he stood up and hugged her sliming her in the awful stench and goop he was in. "Ha! I'm fine why do you ask?" " Awe cripes Zell get off me before I have to beat the hell out of you! If I knew you were going to do that I would have kept my distance." "Well you shouldn't have been giggling at me." Started Zell. "Besides if it weren't for me you would have ended up like that mess over there." "Your right. I'm sorry." Quistis did owe a lot to Zell she'd just have to make it up to him later. As they headed toward the building in front of them they both looked up to see what looked like a dark cloud. Or at least that's what they thought. They really couldn't tell what it was they just knew it meant trouble.  
  
Selphie was finishing off another monster when she heard a woman scream, "Irvine did you hear that?" She turned to look at Irvine too busy to hear her. "What's that I didn't hear you." But when he looked up, she was gone. "Now where did she run off to?" He looked around but the only place she could have gone was into a large building up ahead of him. Not about to let his girlfriend run off and face a bunch of monsters without him to back her up he ran into the building after her. "But what the hell is that awful smell?" He thought as he ran up to see Selphie just standing there. Selphie didn't even hear Irvine come up behind her. All she could do was stand there and stare at the atrocity that had transpired. Irvine put his hand on her shoulder and she didn't even look up at him. Her eyes were filling with tears and she felt utter terror in her, she only came here because she was going to kill a few monsters and help people out but she wasn't expecting this. They both stood in a large coliseum with empty seats surrounding them. In the middle was a large pile of bodies witch easily took up the majority of the blood covered floor, all of the bodies were human and it looked like they had been there awhile. All of the bodies faces were disfigured and the upper portions were all torn away layer by layer. What ever had done this had taken its time luring in its victims and killing them slowly. "What kind of a monster would do this?" all of the monsters were basically overgrown lizards and fish, animals by any other means. Sure they were a menace but they had never done anything like this before. They killed only to survive and to protect it's territory, they never took their time to kill anything let alone torture their capture and not even bother to eat it. No, what ever had done this had taken its time and worst of all had enjoyed every second of it. As soon at they started to leave to go tell the others of what they had found they suddenly realized that they weren't alone anymore, and they were surrounded.  
  
  
  
End of Chapter 3 


	4. Dameon

Chapter 4  
  
Irvine and Selphie stood surrounded not knowing when the monsters were going to attack. The largest monster was holding a woman; it must have been the person Selphie heard before. The woman's scream was what had led Selphie and Irvine into that hell whole to begin with. Now that same woman was nothing but a bloody figure hanging from jagged claws of the biggest black dragon they had ever seen. Irvine and Selphie couldn't think speak or even move. Then it talked. It's voice so dark and vicious the ground shook with every syllable. "There will be more deaths, what you have seen is only the beginning and neither you nor Doctor Odine can stop me! " It's wings flared up and it flew through the roof. Steel and rock came raining down upon Irvine and Selphie, they both ducked out of the way. Once they looked up all they saw were clouds of smoke only one of the clouds wasn't a cloud at all. It was an endless army of monsters all grouped together following the biggest monster they had ever seen. It took them a while to compose themselves and think about what they had just seen; it was just so hard to believe. Something the size of twenty men and it had been loose in the city long enough to torture and kill a large group of people. Worst off all it could talk, think, hell it was even smart enough set up an ambush for them. They had no idea what they were getting into when they arrived, they should have been told from the begging. "What did Laguna think would happen?" Irvine thought. "We just show up to clean up his mess not telling us that there was something loose in the city that had enough monsters behind it to make up it's own army! Why weren't we told?" Selphie came next to him, "How did it know Dr. Odine?" she asked. "I don't know," Irvine replied. "But we should find the others. Let's head back to the other side of the city to our hotel and wait for them there."  
  
Soon the sun had set and darkness covered the city, hours have passed since Selphie and Irvine had met with the talking monster and the rest of the team had yet to return from their posts. When Zell and Quistis arrived at the hotel they were met by Irvine and Selphie at the door of Quistis' room, they never expected to hear this kind of story. If anything Zell was the kind of person would come up with this sort of thing, but even he couldn't believe it. After about two hours and half a million unanswerable questions later plus a quick shower for Zell and Quistis, Squall and Rinoa finally arrived. Once the shock wore off and they were able to speak again, three questions still haunted them; how did that thing know Dr. Odine and why did it torture and kill all those people? Most importantly why the hell didn't Laguna tell any of them about it!! Squall left in a blind furry as soon as the others were settled in their rooms, he would make sure Laguna wouldn't pull a stunt like this again. The rest followed him in a separate car, they knew better than to try and talk to Squall when he was this angry. Rinoa was just thinking about how much harder it was going to be getting Squall to forgive Laguna. Once they arrived they thought it would be best if they just waited in the small waiting room for Squall to come out.  
  
Squall burst into Laguna's office the guards that stood in front knew better than to try and stop him. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!" Squall screamed. "You could have gotten me and all of my friends killed!" Laguna just stood up from behind his desk and walked to the window to Squalls left his hands cupped behind his back. "I didn't tell you because I honestly didn't know it was still in the city. After it escaped out of Dr. Odine's lab it killed a few of our soldiers and left. Then people started disappearing all over the city, and when I came back from your Garden all these monsters showed up out of nowhere, we just assumed that it was attacking us from the outside. Had I known what was really going on, that it was really hiding and calling these monsters into the city I would have told you. But my city is low on militia and I was desperate to get these things out. I only told you what I thought would let you get the job done." Eventually the rest of Squall's team got sick of waiting outside and stepped into Laguna's office. Irvine was the first one of them to speak. "That's a fine story and all but that still doesn't explain where that thing came from or what it wants." Laguna limped back to his desk and sat down in his chair, he really didn't want to explain this part of the story but they had a right to know. "Dr. Odine created it, he came to me with the idea to his project and I approved it. Since the first Lunar Cry all those years ago he's been trying to create a monster that would for once be on our side. When the Lunar Cry happened again it sent his project's results through the roof. He then had more than enough monsters to get an accurate reading of our own monster's abilities. You see we wanted a monster that was stronger, faster and bigger than any of the others. And one that could make them all do whatever we wanted them to do. The monster to control all monsters so to speak, the problem is that we made it too smart for it's own good, we tried to lock it up but it was too strong made it's way past our defenses and escaped." He looked around the room and saw everyone with a look of shock on their face, everyone but Squall who just had a look of hatred and disgust on his face. But he didn't say anything; he knew Laguna was done with his explanation but he didn't say anything he just walked out with Rinoa. Irvine and Selphie left the room with Zell, but as they walked out Zell noticed that Quistis stayed behind. He looked at the other two, "You guys go on ahead we'll catch up." As they walked away Zell stepped up next to Quistis, "At this point Squall's pissed and isn't thinking straight Selphie and Irvine don't know what to do and let's face it neither do I. Might as well stick with someone that has a good head on their shoulders," Zell thought. Quistis stood in front of Laguna looking down at the floor thinking to herself. She raised her head and asked, "Can it be killed?" Laguna nodded with a frown, "Yes but it won't be easy." When Dr. Odine made him he made sure that he would be strong. It's not weak against fire, ice, earth or poison. It will be hard, damn near impossible but it can be done. But with all those monsters at his command it won't be easy to get close to him. "Oh yeah I just have one question, Does it have a name? Or do we just call it black dragon?" Zell asked with kind of a smart-ass smirk on his face. "His name is Dameon" Laguna replied as he sat back into his chair and turned it so he was no longer facing the two, he obviously wasn't in the mood to talk. Quistis and Zell looked at each other shrugged their shoulders and left.  
  
When Zell and Quistis met up with the others they were all waiting in the car that would take them to their hotel. Once every one was inside Squall told them his decision, "We'll stay at the hotel for the night but then in the morning we'll go home to our garden get some back up from Cid and maybe every platoon we have. For now though lets just get some rest I have a killer headache and the more I think about Laguna and the mess he's made the more angry I get." They all nodded in unison and settled into their seats, it was kind of hard though since the cab was too small and the girls had to sit on the guys lap, not that they minded but it was still too small for the six of them. Their hotel was on the other side of the enormous city and it would be almost an hour before they got there. There was a good mood in the car on the way to the hotel. Everyone really liked that Squall was more open, that he wasn't afraid to tell them what he was thinking. Whatever Rinoa had been doing to him they liked it. Once they got to the hotel they headed to their rooms, the guys were each given their own room, as were the girls. Some how though they all knew Rinoa and Squall would end up in the same room together. The others just went straight to bed deciding that they should just stay in the rooms they were given.  
  
  
  
It was about 3:30 am and Zell after much tossing and turning still couldn't get to sleep so he decided he'd go get some air and maybe see if he couldn't tire himself out. He stepped out onto the balcony thinking, Wow Laguna must really want to get back on Squall's good side, the rooms he gave us were really something." He started punching the air and did several round house and crescent kicks when he heard some one sobbing. He looked at the balcony next to him and saw of all people Selphie. Like a cat he leaped off the rail of his balcony and somersaulted onto the floor of Selphie's balcony without even making a sound. It wasn't till he put his hand on her shoulder that she jumped up in surprise. "Oh! God Zell you scared the hell out me." "Uh sorry about that I heard you crying and came to see if you were ok. So like, what's the matter? I've never seen you this upset before." She stood up and walked to the end of the balcony resting her forearms on the rail. "It's this whole Dameon thing, ever since I saw him and what he did. I can't even close my eyes without seeing that endless pile of bodies, there were so many and all of them had gone through so much pain and suffering before the end came. What was the point? They all died and for what?!" Tears were running down her cheeks now, Zell knew she felt cold. How could he not? She was shivering right in front of him. He took off his robe that his grandfather use to wear and wrapped it around Selphie and then hugged her to keep her warm. Selphie just hugged him back and started to feel better. Things between her and Irvine were getting kind of rocky and she knew they were headed for another breakup. Every time they did they always got back together because she never thought of being with anyone else. But things were different this time; she could feel herself drifting further from Irvine. Even when she first saw the dead bodies and he put his hand on her shoulder she didn't feel comfort in him being there. Now for some reason in Zell's arms she felt warm and safe. She started imagining what it might be like if she were with him instead of Irvine. He looked into her eyes and knew that she wanted him to kiss her, but didn't. "It wouldn't be right," he thought not while she was still with Irvine, even though the area couldn't be more romantic with the moon and city lights illuminating the balcony. Even if she couldn't look more beautiful he just couldn't do it. Instead he took her hand, kissed it and wished to a good night. Selphie knew he did the right thing and watched as he leaped from her balcony to his. Even when he was gone she still didn't know what she was going to do about all these feeling she had. She just hoped she would be able to do something about it in the morning.  
  
Irvine was the first one up, in the morning. Though technically he didn't really sleep not after seeing Selphie and Zell holding each other on the balcony of her room. He just wanted to check up on her, to see if she was ok. After all she did have kind of a traumatizing day. But he didn't think he'd find her in the arms of another man. He silently walked out of the room trying not to make any noise and too filled with anger to do anything at that moment. He just sat in the lobby until the sun rose and waited for Squall, Rinoa and Quistis to show up. After that it was just a matter of who would show up first Selphie or Zell. Or would they show up together? His thoughts were abruptly killed off as he realized that Squall was talking to him. "Hey are you ok? You look like you didn't sleep all night." "Just some bad thoughts keeping me up" He said with a smile, when Selphie walked into the lobby and sat down next to him but didn't say a word. She looked like she didn't get any sleep either. They all sat in the lobby waiting for Zell to show up, the burning hatred rising in Irvine. "What the hell is taking that cocky punk so long, what, does the think he's so much better than us that he has the right to make us wait?" Then Zell entered the room looking fresh as a daisy. Squall gave him an irritated look and he apologized for being late. Selphie came up to him and kissed Zell on the cheek. "Thanks for last night Zell your really sweet." Every one had a puzzled look on their face but Irvine jumped off his seat and charged at Zell. Faster than anyone could see Irvine pulled his arm back and swung hitting Zell right in the face, Irvine's fist mad perfect contact with Zell's cheek. But there was just one problem he was still standing; it was almost too hard to believe. Zell, after being socked right in the face he had only bent to the side about five inches both eyes still open. He straitened himself out, smiled and looked at Irvine. "Now what did you have to go and do that for?" He was just bout to drop kick Irvine in the face when Squall and Quistis restrained him. "Zell what in the hell is going on here!?" "Why don't you ask prince charming here? He's the one who started it." Irvine was about to take advantage of Zell's predicament when Selphie stepped in front of Zell. "Don't hurt him! Irvine we need to talk."  
  
Selphie led Irvine into an empty hallway and looked around to make sure that no one was around to hear them. "Now listen to me carefully Irvine, nothing and I mean nothing happened between me and Zell last night." "Don't tell me what I saw Selphie! Last night I saw you two holding each other on your balcony!" Selphie sharply cut him off, "Whoa, hold on a sec. You were spying on me?" "No I wasn't spying on you! I was worried about you so I came to see if you were ok. But why do I have to do all the explaining why don't you tell me what the hell is going on between you and Zell?" Selphie snapped back, "Fine you wanna know what happened last night fine I'll tell you. I was feeling miserable last night I was sitting on the balcony crying and Zell saw me, he came over and helped me feel a little better. But that's it nothing else happened. But that doesn't mean that I didn't want something to happen." Irvine had a confused look on his face. "What? You mean you wanted something to happen between you and Zell?" Selphie lowered her head and felt ashamed of herself and tried to explain to Irvine what she was feeling. "Look things between you and me aren't what they use to be, I know you really care about me but after everything that's happened after all the fights and breakups I don't know if I feel the same way about you then when we first got together. I mean if we were really meant to be together, then how come we keep breaking up? Every time you and I break up I can never see myself with anyone else but you, however after last night I can't stop thinking about Zell. I don't know why but I don't just see him as a friend anymore." Irvine let go of her hands and started to walk back to the group talking as he left her gesturing with his hand. "Well when you finally figure out what you want, let me know but until then I'd rather not talk to you." When he finished he turned the corner and left.  
  
End Of Chapter 4 


	5. The Long Way Home

So here's the next part of my story (getting interesting huh.) Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Squall, Rinoa, Quistis and Zell were outside waiting for their rental car, hopefully it would be something big enough for all six of them to ride in (the last time the six of them were in a car it was too small and they all had to smash together with the girls sitting on their laps but never the less it was still to small for them). When Irvine came out everyone assumed he would be with Selphie, but she wasn't. No one said anything. What do you do at a moment like that? Is there even anything you could say? Squall couldn't be anything but be surprised. "Who could believe Zell could be that way. I mean who knew he could be so compassionate and supportive that he could get in between Selphie and Irvine?" Rinoa was looking up at the sky it was a cloudy day, "Can't believe how much can happen in just a few days. Laguna is Squalls father, there's some humongous black dragon going around killing people that can talk, and now out of nowhere Selphie starts coming onto Zell." Quistis was staring at Zell he was sitting on the floor legs crossed with one hand on his knee and the other was lightly rubbing his cheek. "Guess he's still thinking about getting punched. Irvine is just lucky that Squall and Rinoa were able to hold him back or else Zell would have beat the living crap out of him." But there was something else. She felt hurt; she was just starting to like Zell, a lot. Selphie and her were also pretty close now. Seriously who wouldn't be after having to come together and fighting off some power hungry bitch? (Ultimacia) But she didn't even tell her that she had any sort of feelings for Zell. She looked up at the sky as Rinoa was doing earlier; it looked like it was going to rain.  
  
It took awhile for Selphie to compose herself; she just didn't know how to face Irvine or even Zell. She just hoped the car ride wouldn't last forever. As leader of the Squad it was of course Squalls duty to drive everyone safely back to their Garden witch was waiting for them back at FH. The car they were in now was much better than any of them could have expected. The interior was spacious the seats were big enough to hold up to ten and everything in it was decoratively designed. Zell put it best; "This was sweet ride" The Squad was about half way to their garden when Rinoa thought she saw a big rain cloud coming towards them. Rinoa and Squall were the only ones up at the time the rest of the squad was a sleep in the back when every one was woken up by a rumbling that just kept getting louder and louder. They looked out the windows of the car and saw a horde of dragons flying in the air apparently coming back around for another dive to try and shake up the car. "Every one seat belts on and brace your selves this is going to be rough!" Squall shouted. They could feel the car shake uncontrollably and it nearly fell onto its side. The car landed back on all six of its wheels, the group felt like they were being shaken around like a fish in a barrel. Irvine cried out, "Is everyone ok?" but before anyone could answer back Quistis yelled out. "Here they come again!" Squall slammed his foot on the gas hoping they could out run the dragons or at least make them miss. The swarm came down once again on the car causing it to rock again, but before it was over one of the dragons jammed its claws into the roof tearing it off like the top of a sardine can. Every one was trying to hang on and see what they were going to do next, too bad none of them noticed that amongst all the commotion that they had veered off the trail they were following and were running out of road. Squall tried for one last desperate move, "Hang on everybody and when I tell you to jump out of the car and try to get a hold of something or just lay down and don't move!" He put both feet on the brake just barely in front of the dragons range and then gave it everything he had speeding toward the large crevice about fifty yards away. The dragons followed close behind. Squall stomped on the breaks and turned the wheel hoping he could get rid of the over grown lizards. But he was too close to the crevice and once the car did a 180 and stopped. The back end of the car was hanging off the edge of the crevice. Squall yelled out his signal. "Now!" They all threw off their seat belts and jumped out just as the dragons flew straight into the car sending it screaming down the hundred and thirty-two foot drop. Although they had only managed to kill a few of the dragons it was more than enough to scare the rest away.  
  
And so they six were left with miles to go with no transportation and nothing for them to sleep on or in. for about five minutes they just lay there not moving afraid the dragons would come back. Everything happened so fast; you couldn't tell if anyone was hurt or worse. You just knew that they were angry and frustrated that all this had to happen to them. As they got up and started walking they made sure they had their weapons ready just in case. They only had a few hours of light left and it was another day of walking to get to FH. Squall led the way Rinoa close by leaving the other four by themselves. They walked about an hour when it started to rain, Selphie started shivering and Zell with out even realizing it gave his jacket to Selphie. She gladly accepted it, Irvine was about to come up behind Zell and hit him again when Quistis got in his way. "Don 't get mad at Zell because he was able to get to Selphie before you. Maybe if you had been paying more attention to her you would been the one to give her your coat." He looked at her with a frustrated look. He knew she was right. But by no means did that mean he was ok with it.  
  
The rain was coming down much harder now and it had been a while since sun had gone down. They were in the middle of nowhere, wet and freezing. They gathered around a dying fire hoping it wouldn't go out but the rain wasn't making it easy. "Wonder how long the rain will go on for?" Squall mumbled to himself. "Probably all night." Rinoa answered. He was holding her to keep her warm and she most likely overheard him thinking out loud. Selphie fell asleep resting her head on a tree they were sitting under. Irvine blanketed her with his trench coat and gave Zell a dirty look as he sat next to her. He didn't care what Irvine thought of him as long as it didn't involve his face. But rather than sit around guessing what he was going to do next he just sat next to Quistis and tried to relax. "This day really sucks." He thought, he was too tired to do anything more and didn't even realize he had slumped over onto Quistis' shoulder and fell asleep. The sudden pressure of Zell's body woke Quistis, when she looked down at her shoulder and saw him there she started to blush. She was happy to be so close to him, even with everything that was happening between Selphie and him she stared liking him even more. Knowing that he could be compassionate and sweet was like a breath of fresh air to her. And from what he told her and Squall he liked Selphie and thought that she was pretty but didn't think of her as anything other than that. As for him giving her his jacket and the whole balcony deal, he was just letting his emotions guide him. "Well that's how he put it anyway." His body was warm but he was shivering nonetheless. "Would I dare to get closer?" She pulled her self down and snuggled closer to Zell wrapping her arms around him. Then she rested her head in between his neck and shoulder not realizing how tight she was holding him. He suddenly let out a small sigh and Quistis nearly jumped as he shifted and put his arms around her. She looked up at him, "This is nice, I kinda wish this would last. Except without the cold rain." Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep.  
  
When the morning came it was still raining. The fire had gone out, it was late in the day. The group woke up tired and wet. Sleeping under a tree during a storm was definitely not a smart thing to do. Irvine, Squall, Rinoa and Selphie were the first ones up. At first they all just sat there, none of them wanted to wake up Quistis and Zell. "Awe… they look so cute together." Rinoa cooed. "Yeah they look real cozy." Irvine added. He must have said it too loud because as soon as he finished his sentence, the two woke up. "Hmm… some one say my name?" Zell opened his eyes saw Quistis staring right back at him. At first they just stared at each other blushing, not really knowing what to say seeing as this was the first time they had been this close to another person in a while. So they just sat there holding each other until Quistis started talking. "Thanks for keeping me warm." she said as she stood up and ringed out her hair. Zell was just dumbfounded, and made sure every one knew. "What the hell just happened?!" Squall just walked up to him and asked, "So, how did you sleep last night Zell?" He just looked at him, " What the hell his that suppose to mean?" "Nothing … just forget it."  
  
Ten minutes later they were on foot again. Hopefully they would be at FH by that night and the squad would be able to sleep in their nice warm and most importantly dry beds. Two o'clock in the afternoon and still they were a long ways from their Garden. "If only we hadn't slept in so late now I think we may have to sleep in this damn rain again. Or we're going to have to keep walking at night." Squall unlike the others wasn't in a good mood. He hated being soggy from sleeping in the rain and worse off he hated having to walk in wet shoes. But at least his Squad was with him. Irvine kept looking at Zell; he couldn't believe his what he had done. "First he starts getting in between Selphie and me, and now he's going after Quistis too. Who does he think he is? Well, enough is enough I'm going to beat him straight and let him know who the ladies man is here." Zell was walking next to Squall when Irvine called out to him. "Hey chicken-wuss, get your spiky headed ass over here now!" Every one turned back and looked at Irvine. "What does he want now?" Zell thought as he walked over to Irvine. "I just want to know what the hell your thinking, first my girlfriend and now Quistis. Why don't you make up your mind and pick one or is this just some sick joke your pulling on them?" Zell started to walk away. "I don't know what your talking about man, but maybe you should stop thinking about yourself and take better care of your girl if you can even make her happy anymore." Ok now Irvine was pissed. "That's it !" Irvine ran screaming at Zell. But he was ready for him and wasn't going to let Irvine sucker punch him twice. When Irvine was about two feet away from him, Zell jumped up and kicked his leg out knowing Irvine was to slow to be able to doge it. With that Irvine ran straight into the bottom of Zell's foot knocking him out in just one blow. "Great! Just great Zell now what are we going to do with him unconscious! Don't think for a second were going to leave him here, and waiting for him to wake up in this rain isn't an option if we're going to sleep in our beds tonight. Or would you prefer sleeping in the rain?" Zell looked down at Irvine's body lying on the floor covered in mud. "Man this is turning out to be a really sucky day ya'know." He bent over and picked Irvine off the ground and started walking while carrying Irvine on his shoulder. "*Sigh*… sometimes doing the right thing really really sucks." 


	6. Hard Days Night

Chapter 6  
  
The rain had stopped for now, but it didn't look like it was going to stay that way. It was six o'clock, and still a long way from F.H. Sleeping in their beds wasn't going to happen. Irvine was waking up to the sound of Squall and Zell fighting. "What do you mean why did I knock him out? What did you want me to do blow him a kiss?" "Well maybe if you had tried to talk to him first." Squall added. Zell started to turn his back to Squall when he grabbed his shoulder. "Hey! I'm not done talking to you." He shouted. Zell just sat down under a near by tree and looked up at Squall. "It's not my fault he can't keep a girlfriend. It's not my fault I made her feel better when that's his job. And yeah maybe I should have been more careful last night and watched where I was sleeping, sorry about that Quistis. But if he thinks that I will just sit there take a weak ass beating from him, well then my foot has an appointment with his ass!" "See, that's the attitude I'm talking about, I've got enough on my mind without you guys fighting each other. So I don't care what you have to do just settle this peacefully."  
  
"I'll settle this right now!" Every one jumped up to the sound of his voice. Irvine had a headache and maybe a broken nose. He stood up and started to walk to Zell when Squall stepped in his way. "No more fighting, I'm sick of this, he is not the cause of all your problems but like I told him do what you have to do just settle this peacefully." Squall stepped away from Irvine and let him walk over to Zell, he just kept hoping, "Please don't let Zell knock him out again." At first Irvine and Zell were locked in a stare down. Then Irvine turned his eyes away and looked at the ground thinking. "When we get to our Garden, We're going to have a very, very long talk." And then he walked away. Zell had a look of disbelief, "You've got to be kidding me, who does this guy think he is with this cowboy act thinking he can intimidate me? What ever, if we have to talk and I end up dropping him on his ass it will be his fault. Not mine." And with that they started walking and it started raining again.  
  
Night was upon them sooner than they thought it would. I guess that's what happens when you have a lot on your mind. Hours go by in what feels like minutes and before you know it your soaked again, even worse you sitting under another damn tree trying to stay warm with no fire to help. Every one was sleeping, every one but Squall. He just couldn't stop thinking about what he was going to do. " Who is the bigger evil, the monster or the creator of the monster? Any way you look at it in the end he is responsible for the death of all those people, even if he was trying to create something that would protect people. More importantly how am I going to find it in time before more innocent people get hurt? And how am I supposed to lead a team if two of them are constantly fighting over nothing? Please, please let it be over tomorrow."  
  
It was hours since they had fallen asleep, but there was still much to go before the night was going to be over. Rinoa had gotten up and walked over onto a small hill close to them. She sat down and started to think about their last great adventure, her becoming a sorceress and the four new friends she now has, but most importantly she thought about the love of her life. A hand slowly moved towards her shoulder, she was too tired to react. She looked up but wasn't surprised to see Selphie standing over her. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Selphie smiled as she answered, "No offense but you walk loud." Then out of the blue Quistis added, "Plus I was using you as a pillow. *Sigh* I wish I was in my warm bed to wrap myself around in." "Looks like you had that last night." Rinoa said while nudging Quistis' shoulder. She started blushing and tried to change the subject. Soon the three were reminiscing about their brush with time compression. "I had never been so afraid in all my life." Quistis started. "Yeah who'd a thunk it, Hey so what was your last thought before everything went white and you found yourself in your special place?" asked Selphie. Rinoa's lips parted and she was about to speak when Selphie again cut her off. "My last thought was of the Garden and how much I was going to miss it and all of you. I remember thinking about how I had just gotten there, and of the people I had just met: Squall, Irvine, Zell and of course you two. But most importantly how much I still wanted to get to know you guys. Rinoa went next. "I remember thinking about Squall and how he promised me he would be at our special place, though at first it was just like my dream when I kept calling him and he just wouldn't answer. Then I saw him laying down, I almost broke down right then, but then the thought of losing everything we had just fought for entered my mind and I knew I wouldn't just sit back and fade quietly into the dark. So I started to hold Squall in my arms and…well you know how the rest went." They both nodded in unison and then Selphie and Rinoa turned and looked over to Quistis who was a little surprised by them. "What it's my turn now? Very well, *sigh*I didn't have positive thoughts that made me want to hold onto this life or time no. I didn't have true love's hand guiding me to the one person I held dear, I didn't have the memory of wanting to be with my new friends, I just had the thought of how little my life meant. How little I had accomplished and how I didn't and still don't know what the love of a man feels like. I had just lost my teachers license, and I thought I was in love and then that faded away into nothing." Selphie and Rinoa were speechless. But they both had the same question. "So then what brought you back?" Selphie asked. Quistis looked up at the black sky, raindrops pounding down on her and the others. "I couldn't bear to let my life end that way. I didn't have anything holding me here, but that didn't mean I didn't want to have something to here to hold me. I want something to live for, so I decided to live and find it. Weather it be in having kids one day or just finding someone to love and to know what it is to be loved." Quistis looked down at the ground, she had never been so open before. Never in her life had she divulged so much about herself and about her personal thoughts. Then she felt Rinoa and Selphie hugging her. Somehow they knew she had broken down a barrier that night, she was glad to have them as friends.  
  
When the hugging session stopped Rinoa started a new subject. "So Selphie what's with you and Zell?  
  
"I don't really know." She replied. " It's just that I'm seeing him in a way I never have before. I never knew he could be so sweet, the second he held me I felt this surge of warmth and comfort in his arms. Like nothing could ever hurt me so long as I stayed with him, Irvine never made me feel that way. He would look out for me sure, but it always felt like he had to force himself to do it. With Zell it almost seems like he does it upon instinct, I think that's the most wonderful thing to have; a natural instinct to protect others. Don't you think?" Quistis unknowingly thought out loud, "Yeah it is." She said with a warm smile. "Quistis?" Rinoa and Selphie were staring at her with a look of confusion. "Oh what? I'm sorry, what were you two saying?" "Um… nothing I think it's pretty late we should get some sleep. C'mon we can use the guys to keep us warm." As they walked over to the tree the guys were under Selphie whispered to Rinoa and Quistis, "I call Zell, this means you Quistis." Soon they were settled in and trying to sleep as best they could.  
  
  
  
Finally, finally the rain had stopped. The squad woke up in the warm glow of the sun; it had been awhile since they remembered what it was like to be out of the rain, to look up at the sky and not have to see dark gray clouds. They had only spent two days in the rain but it was more than enough to make them never want to see a falling drop of water for as long as they lived. As always Squall led the group, the five were his responsibility. Should they fail a mission, or worse, he would have to bear the consequences alone. They were running for most of the way. Being away from home so many days and in the cold for two nights made them want to get to their Garden and into a change of clothes more than anything else. They only stopped twice to catch their breath and to get the rocks, mud and slime out of their shoes. Irvine was helping Selphie up one of the many small cliffs they had to climb when he turned and asked Squall, "Hey Mr. Leader man how much longer do you think it will be until we get home?" Squall was a little ways ahead of them and shouted back, "Not far. Just a few more miles of walking and we'll be at the bridge that leads to FH and were home." "Home, that has to be the best four letter word in the universe." Quistis thought. "I want to go back so much but I know that as soon as we get there, we'll just have to leave again and off to another bloody battle. What if we fail? Or worse, what if one of us doesn't make it back this time?" Zell put his hand on Quistis' shoulder, "Hey, you ok? You look like you're about to cry ya'know? What's the matter?" Quistis looked at Zell then at the ground. She didn't speak, Zell looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Fine, tell you what, when we get back I'll buy you some hotdogs and you can tell me all about it, what do you say? Mmmm…hotdogs." He moaned. Quistis started to laugh. "He always knows how to make me feel better." She thought. They continued walking over the next few hills when they saw it. They were so close to FH now that they could smell the ocean air, and there ahead of them was the bridge that led to FH and their Garden.  
  
The Squad was on the bridge now the wind starting to pick up. As they walked Selphie ran to the front of the group and looked at them. She then asked, "Hey, haven't any of you wondered why they didn't send anyone to come and get us after we didn't come home the first day?" They all stopped in their tracks. "Yeah what's that about ya'know?" asked Zell. Rinoa looked at Squall, "Can you think of any reason why they didn't come looking for us?" "No." he replied. "Well I say we find out." Irvine said as he started walking towards the Garden. But Squall stepped in front of him. "No Irvine, I want to talk to Cid alone about this. I'll let you all know what I find out." So they started walking again all of them focusing on the Garden a head of them. Just when they thought they could relax and be done with one problem, another one always comes along.  
  
End Of Chapter 6 


	7. Private Thoughts

Chapter 7  
  
As they stepped onto the balcony entrance of the Garden Zell fell to his knees and he kissed the ground. "Oh it feels soooo good to be home! I'm never going to sleep in the raining mud again." They all just looked at him. The Squad felt the same as Zell; they just had too much dignity in them to kiss the ground. Once they were in the hallway that led to the elevator Squall stopped, "Like I said before I want to deal with Cid by myself, I will tell you everything he tells me but I have to talk to him by myself." As they saluted in silence Squall entered the elevator and watched them as he rose up into the third floor. He walked out of the elevator and into Cid's office. He nearly lost his temper when he entered and saw Cid quietly sitting at his desk signing some document. Then he looked up. "Well hello Squall what brings you here?" Squall lost it. "What the hell do you mean what brings me here?! I'm lucky to be here at all! My squad and I have just spent two days in the freezing mud and rain and no one knew we were missing?" Cid stood up and walked over to squall. Their conversation was long and loud, but when it was over at least Squall had his questions answered. In nutshell Cid knew they had been missing but couldn't do anything about it. With all the other SeeD's out looking for Dameon and on top of that, being stuck at FH with no real forms of transportation there was no way to send someone out to look for them. Then he added, "I wasn't really all that worried about you and your squad anyway, after all you did save the world. I didn't think a little walk in the rain would be much of a problem for you." Not much happened after that. Squall let Cid know what let to the squad being left in the rain and went to find his squad after a brief discussion on where they should go next in order to find Dameon. Even though finding Dameon was their first priority they had just come home after two days in the rain, they needed their rest.  
  
  
  
Squall went straight to his room to lie down for a sec. He knew he should go find his team and let them know what cid had told him but at the moment he didn't know where they were. As he entered his room he threw his leather jacket onto a near by chair and proceeded to lie down. Rinoa had just finished taking a long shower and sat next to him. He told her everything that he and Cid had discussed plus their plans on finding Dameon, all that was left was finding the others but that could wait. They had just gotten home after all; they hadn't even had anything to eat. Ok well Zell did. But the others were still settling in. Selphie was fast asleep, Irvine was getting some cold medicine from Dr. Kadowaki, Zell decided to eat some hotdogs and then head over to the training center. However Quistis was in her old classroom with the lights out, sitting in her chair thinking about the battle that lay ahead of them. A few days had gone by. They had left F.H. and were heading out to meet with the two other gardens. The way Squall figured it they would need all the help they could get if they were going to take on a Dragon that could control all the monsters on the planet.  
  
Early the next morning they were all at their usual breakfast table in the cafeteria. Squall explained what they would be doing in the next few days. "So once back up arrives I we'll pull all the troops together, find Dameon and do whatever we have to stop him once and for all." When he finished they all sat back in their seats to finish their breakfast. Zell swallowed hard and opened his mouth, "How long until this is all underway?" Squall raised his head. "Two days, I asked Cid if we could have a few days off to get cleaned up and rested. So you don't' have to go to any classes or if you don't want to. Quistis all the students you're tutoring have been made aware of our little break and will continue lessons with you after this matter is finished." To witch Quistis replied, "Thank you Squall." And finished the rest of her food. "What do we do till then?" Asked Selphie. "Well, we rest. We all had it kind of rough out there. I figure we could all take this time to enjoy what we have, tie up lose ends and make sure we're ready for what ever happens next." They stared silently at the ground, none of them wanted to think about it but they knew that taking on Dameon wasn't going to be as easy as Squall depicted. Zell and Quistis had already had a close brush with death, if it weren't for Zell one of them would be dead right now. As for the rest well… they had already seen what Dameon was capable of. The streets and coliseum literally covered in bodies and the stench they left still haunted them. Zell stood up and excused himself from the table, "I think I'll go for a walk." Everyone just looked at him. Rinoa called out, "hey Zell you didn't finish your hotdogs." He waved one hand and answered back, "You guys can have them, I don't feel like having hotdogs right now." They looked on in a scared awe. Since when did Zell not finish his hotdogs? "He must really have a lot on his mind." Squall mumbled to himself.  
  
Zell headed for the balcony entrance; for once he did had a lot to think about. Once he was there he found a nice corner and made himself comfortable. With this legs crossed and his arms around his sides he began to think about the last few days. So what am I suppose to do now? Rather, how do I know what to do so I don't fail them? If only there was some sort of sign." Just as he finished his thought Rinoa walked through the door, "Um Zell, mind if I come out there and join you?" She had totally caught him off guard, and he didn't really know what to say. "What? Oh um I don't know, wait what am I saying? Of course you can um… I was just…" "Yeah I can guess what you were doing." Zell turned his head away, "Yeah stupid answer I know. So what did you come up here for." She sat down next to him, "I just wanted to see if you were ok. You wanna talk about it? I bet you'll feel better if you do." He looked at her then at the blue sky above them. "Sure I guess. What do you want to know?" "Well…" She started, "Why don't you tell me what's wrong. I've never seen you so full of thoughts that you won't finish a hotdog. It's kinda like what your best known for, eating hotdogs I mean. But what I want to know is what is it that's bothering you so much?" He uncrossed his legs, put his hands behind his head and let out another sigh. "I guess what's bothering me is the fact that everyone has a part to play in all this, every one knows what their doing and most of all doing exactly what they should be. But I don't. I don't know what I'm doing, where I'm headed or even if I'm doing the right things anymore. And I know that most people don't really know any of that stuff either but what really gets me is that every one at the big fight that's coming has a part to play. Something big that will either save other people or that will help define who they are." Rinoa looked at him with sympathy in her eyes. "It's ok not to know that. We just do the best we can because it's all that can be asked of us." Zell looked straight at her. "But that's just it. Behind every good leader is a woman just as strong to back him up, that's what you'll do. Quistis is the strong levelheaded person that makes sure we have a way out of any situation. Irvine is the one that will buckle under pressure, and you know he will. But is too lucky to end up hurting anyone. Selphie is the lighthearted one that lets the wind guide us to our battlefield and flies us out. Squall is the one that will lead us, fight the good fight and eventually save the day. But what will I do? What good am I? If anything I'll most likely end up another faceless SeeD that dies in battle ya'know. And it's not even weather I die or not, in the end I'll just end up as extra baggage on the ride there and back."  
  
Rinoa tilted her head and wiped her hair away from her face. She thought hard for a second so she could chose her words carefully. "Listen to me closely, none of us know what will happen in the next few days. But one thing is certain you have to figure out what your part will be just like the rest of us. But you also need to have more faith in yourself, you never know. However I am certain that what you do will most certainly be great. Just remember there is nothing you could do that would let us down." Zell started to smile; it felt good to hear those words from some one he could trust. She started to get up and leave when Zell called out to her. "Hey thanks I mean it ya'know, Squall is lucky to have someone like you. If he ever forgets that, just let me know and I'll make sure my foot reminds him, ya'know."  
  
  
  
End Of Chapter 7 


	8. Come together

Once again I return, been busy but then again not like anyone noticed. Um.one more time I don't own any of the characters depicted in this story but that doesn't matter because it's not illegal as long as I don't make any money from writing these stories. Muahahahah!  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Two days had passed by and the three Gardens were on an all out search for the infamous black dragon. Everyone was back too class and Quistis was back to tutoring. It was just about 7:00 pm, Selphie was in her dorm lying on her bed staring at a picture of the gang that they had taken during the party after they had defeated Ultimacia. "It seems like so long ago." She thought out loud. The picture depicted all of them sitting together at their table. Squall with Rinoa, Quistis and Zell at the other end, and herself sitting next to Irvine. His arm was wrapped around her and she was wearing his cowboy hat. Looking at the picture she couldn't help but smile. At the time it was taken she thought that Irvine was the one person she would always be with, but it was indeed long ago and she didn't feel the same anymore. She was happy to have met him, to know that there was someone who cared deeply for her, but she didn't feel right being with someone that she didn't love as much he loved her. She looked at the back of the picture and read all of the things that the others had wrote. Her eyes drifted towards Zell's signature. "Here's to tons of hotdogs and happier times together. All my love, Zell". Her smile grew wider and she started to hug the picture. She couldn't wait to see him again and hoped she could catch him before he finished his work out at the training center.  
  
Squall was outside on the balcony entrance with Rinoa, for while now she had been trying to get him to open up and talk to her about Laguna. "You can't just keep ignoring the connection that you have with him." Rinoa started up again. Squall turned away from her and put his hands on the rails, "Watch me." She was getting tired of the same thing over and over again, so she grabbed his shoulders and forced him to face her. "What do you have to lose if you forgive him?" She said in a stern tone. His eyes narrowed, "My Pride." He answered back. Rinoa's eyes narrowed. "Can't you forgive him?" He shifted so that his back was now facing out towards the railing and sat down. "I just can't." Rinoa crouched down and tried to comfort him. "Can't or won't?. Why do you hate him so much?" Squall hung his head, he was just so angry. He started to cry as he talked. "How could you ask me that? He left me, put me in an orphanage and left. Like I wasn't good enough for him. It's his fault that I was alone all those years, his fault Ellone left me. Just because he's. you know. Doesn't excuse his actions. For what he did to me he doesn't deserve a son." Rinoa put a hand on his cheek and turned his head so he faced her. "And who are you to make suck a decision?" Another tear ran down his cheek. "The one person who has a right to." He was going to say more but the engines of the Ragnarok cut him off. He stood up and started walking towards the door. Rinoa called to him. "Squall?" he merely replied, "I'm going" she tried to reach him, "But.." He just cut her off. "I'm going".  
  
Quistis had been grading papers all day and decided that she would go to the library to relax. She had a lot on her mind. She turned the corner and started to head down the small hallway that led to the library's doors. It had been closed for the day but Quistis was given special privilege to use it whenever she wanted. Just as she had slid the key card to open it and stepped in through the doors Zell was heading out of the training center. He had heard the doors opening and new that there would only be one person who would go there at this time of night. "It has to be Quistis. I wonder how she's doing I haven't talked to her in a few days." He thought. Quistis had made her way to the back of the library to see if a book she had been waiting for had arrived yet. When she couldn't find it she just sat down and started thinking. As of today the other Gardens had sent them their reports, just about the whole planet had been scanned trying to find Dameon, and there was only really one last place that hadn't been searched. If some trace of Dameon weren't found soon the Gardens would be out of ideas. She began thinking of what would happen if he were found. "It would be all out war against him, so many have already died because of him. How many more will it take until this is over? .... I don't want to go to fight. I can't bear the thought of losing any of my friends." Just as she finished her thought Zell walked into the library. The lights in the front were turned off and he headed straight to the back. He edged over the corner slowly so that she wouldn't be able to hear him come up from behind. "This is going to be great!" He thought to himself. He inched his way closer and closer to her and just as he was about to scare her, she spun around and quickly grabbed the hand closest to her and twisted it flipping him onto her now crumbling chair. "Oh my, Zell! What do you think you were doing?!" She tried to help him but he was a little too heavy to for her. He fell back down gasping for the air that the broken chair had knocked out of him. "Remind me never .to do that again, cough*" After he regained his ability to breath they moved to the front of the library and say down on the front desk. "Since you and the girl that works here with the pigtail broke up, how come I haven't seen you date any one Zell?" His eyes widened, "That's a pretty bold question. What's with the interrogation?" She wiped the hair away from her face and put her glasses on. She always felt more confident when she wore them. "I don't know we haven't talked to each other in a while." He looked down at the ground, "True, true. Hmm.. I guess it's because since we fought Ultimacia I haven't felt comfortable around anyone other than you guys, and the girls here don't really notice me anyway so I guess I'm just not good enough for them or something ya'know." He turned his body and pulled his legs up onto the desk so he could sit cross-legged. "So what about you?" She smiled, "Guess I have the same problem. you know you've grown up a lot since we last talked. But somehow you still the same as I remember you. You seem taller than before." Zell started to blush. "I hunch." She started to look him deep in his blue eyes. "Don't." She replied back. He started up again. ".So do you ever get lonely?" Quistis let out a long sigh. "You know I have been alone for so long now I'm beginning to think I'm going to be like this forever. I'm tired of being alone." As she finished her sentence her voice cracked and Zell noticed a tear run down her face. She quickly wiped it away and tried to stop herself from crying. She stood up off the desk and started leaning against one of the support beams. "Pretty dumb of me huh?" she said as she wiped another tear away and cleared her throat. But she couldn't stop. She turned away from him and started to cry even more now. She felt so helpless and afraid some thing would happen soon and she might be alone again. Zell hated to see her cry; it tore him up inside. He hated to see Quistis cry, but he didn't know how to make her stop. They had always been teemed up over and over, been through hell and back and she was always by his side. Always there to watch his back and to pick him up, and to laugh at all his bad jokes, but most of all to save him the last hotdog. Finally it hit him. He loved her. He didn't know why he didn't see it before, but he did now. She stood there arms at her sides head hung down crying because she didn't want to be alone anymore. He walked up to her, he pulled away her glasses and wiped away one of her tears as she raised her head. And then he kissed her. She was stunned, she had never wanted to be with anyone as much as she wanted to be with Zell, and now she was with him. Holding onto him and not wanting to let go. When the kiss ended he moved his arms around her and began to hug her tightly. She whispered in his ear, "Zell what am I going to do without you?" He let go of her body and held her hands in his. He looked deep into her eyes, "You won't ever have to find out, and just remember I'll always love you."  
  
Selphie was going to the cafeteria to see if she could find Zell. Instead she found Irvine sitting there eating a personal pizza he must have gotten from one of the lunch ladies before they closed. She hadn't talked to him since the day before when they had bumped into each other in between classes. In their little discussion he had asked her if she would just come to her senses and get back together with him. When she said that she was thinking more clearly than ever before he then asked her if she really wanted to throw away everything that they had. Again she told him how she felt and he decided that it was over. But for a while she didn't know how to act around him. "Guess this is the best way to start being friends." She walked up to him and asked if he had seen Zell around. He sharply replied no. When she asked him what was wrong he merely replied, "Nothing, never mind." She figured what was wrong and started walking away when he started talking to her. "I don't get you. You've seen how close he and Quistis are, hell every body does. And just now I saw the two of them at the library hanging out together. He probably doesn't even love you. So why do you want to be with him?" As she turned around she turned her head to the side. "Because I just do, I don't try to understand my feelings I just go with them. Even if you're right, even if he doesn't really love me that doesn't mean that I will just forget him or the way he makes me feel. And really I don't mind. Being around him is enough for me.for now anyway." And with that she left Irvine and headed towards the library to find Zell. As Selphie was heading towards the library she thought to herself, "Quistis is hanging around Zell a lot and that one night out in the rain when they fell asleep on each other did seem suspicious. I wonder how she really feels about Zell. I mean we are really good friends and she'd tell me if she felt something for him right?" She decided that she would go ask her and find out for herself.  
  
When she got to the library the doors were locked and the lights turned off, "I guess they must have already left. Fine maybe Quistis is already in her room." Zell had just left Quistis in her room kissed her good night and was now headed to his room for a little workout. Most SeeD's weren't aloud too much furniture but in Zell's case let him have a Punching bag and several work out machines be put in. Quistis had just put on her nightgown and was brushing her hair in the big mirror she had in her room, she had never felt like this before. She hadn't been this happy . ever. Her train of thought was broken when she heard a knock on her door. She walked up to her door and unlocked it. "I hope it's not one of the students coming to ask me out on a date again." She was a little surprised when she opened the door. "Selphie what are you doing here? Is anything wrong?" Selphie just smiled. "No, but can I come in I want to talk to you." Quistis opened her door and let Selphie in. "Of course you can, what do you want to talk about?" They both sat on her bead facing each other. "Um. We've always been friends right? I mean we've fought together and gotten really close." Quistis smiled at her. "Yes we have been through a lot what are you getting at?" "Well." Selphie said sheepishly. "Everyone knows how I feel about Zell and I know you two are also pretty close to each other so what I want to know is how you feel about my feelings about Zell and yours. What I mean is do you feel the same way about Zell as I do." Quistis' looked away from Selphie and started to look at the ground. "I do." She said softly. She didn't want to lie to Selphie, she couldn't. Selphie was one of her best friends and she didn't want to start being dishonest with her now or ever. "I've loved Zell for along time now I just didn't know it until our little mission at Esthar. Selphie was stunned she didn't actually think that Quistis would say that. Not even after Irvine said it. She didn't know what to say. "Oh my." Quistis bit her bottom lip Selphie wasn't going to like what she was going to say next. "There's more isn't there?" Selphie asked with a scared look on their face. Quistis took a deep breath. "He kissed me tonight." Selphie was really stunned now. "Oh my god, so then he." Quistis looked up at the ceiling and smiled. "He loves me." Selphie looked crushed she could feel herself loosing it. And then she smiled. "Go be with him." Quistis was confused. "What? But I thought you loved him." Selphie looked at Quistis, if anyone deserved happiness it was her she thought. "I do but I want Zell to be happy more than anything, even if it's not with me. But I'm warning you Quistis if you end up hurting him don't let me find out." They both laughed and then Selphie decided that she should head to her room. It had been a long day.  
  
Squall was on his way to Cid's office, he wanted to know what the Ragnarok was doing at Balamb Garden. Cid and Laguna were waiting for Squall to arrive in his office. They could hear Squall's stomping, as he grew closer to them. The doors slid opened and he entered. He stood there with his finger pointed at Laguna, "What the are you doing here Laguna?" Cid excused himself and exited the room leaving the two alone. "Hi Squall how are you doing?" Squall felt uncomfortable. "Don't talk to me like that." Laguna had a blank look on his face. "Like what?" Squall almost burst out at him. "Don't give me that you know what I'm talking about, don't talk to me like you care how I'm doing, don't talk to me like you're my father." Laguna hung his head down he didn't like the way Squall stared at him. "I just wanted to." Squall cut him off. "What? What did you want to do? This I have to hear, what did you want to do here?!" Laguna tried to talk as clearly as he could. "I heard you had some trouble getting back to the garden. I just wanted to see if you made it back ok." Squall turned around, he started walking towards the doors. "I'm fine so is my team. There, happy? You can leave now." Laguna called back to him. "Squall wait don't go I want to talk to you, you're my." Squall quickly turned around, he didn't want Laguna to ever finish that sentence. "No I'm not! I told you to never call me that. You even thinking that you're my father means that you raised me, cared for me. But since you did neither you don't have any right to call me your son. A father is suppose to take care of his children, raise them teach his son how to grow up and be a man. You were never a father" Laguna stepped up to him. "But I care! Don't you get that?" Squall especially didn't want to hear this. "You care? You care! How could you say that? You left me! My sister and me! At what point in the years you were gone did you care?" Squall was a little surprised Laguna was still standing. "Good get it all out." Laguna said. Squall was just confused. "What?" Laguna started to smile. "Yeah get it all out, all the anger you have towards me. I want you to get it all out. I figure once you're out of rage your eventually going to have to forgive me." Squall sighed, "Laguna you're a bigger idiot than I thought. Do you really think I'll ever forgive you? I hate you! I'll never let you be apart of my life, talk to my friends, and you had better stay away from Rinoa. Just as he finished they heard a rumbling. The whole garden began to shake, and before they knew it the ceiling above had been torn off by Dameon.  
  
Rinoa was heading up to Cid's office she knew Squall would do something stupid and hurtful to Laguna. When the elevator reached the third floor she heard the rumble and crashing of glass. She rushed to the doors and when they opened she saw Damon holding Laguna in one hand and throwing Squall across the room with the other. Squall looked over at Rinoa standing at the doorway. "Rinoa get out of here now!" But it was too late Dameon reached out and took her before Squall could get to her. Before he knew it, it was all over and Dameon was gone and so was Rinoa. Squall searched the sky's looking for them when all he caught was a glimpse of the three headed south. He quickly ran down the hall into the elevator and ran straight for Quistis' door. Bam! He burst in. "Quistis wake up and get Zell Irvin and Selphie and meet me in the Ragnarok quickly!  
  
Selphie was fast asleep when Zell burst into her room, "Selphie get up now! There's an emergency. "W, what's happening?" She asked. "Something horrible has happened, we need to get going now!" Selphie was in the other room getting changed while Zell tried to answer all of her questions. "Where are Quistis and Rinoa?" Zell didn't think he would have to say it again. "Quistis is getting Irvine and Rinoa's been taken, now c'mon hurry up so we can get to the Ragnarok and save her."  
  
Squall, Quistis and Irvine were waiting for them in the Ragnarok, they couldn't leave without the pilot. As Irvine sat down he couldn't help but get a feeling of deiza-vu. Once they arrived they took off immediately. Squall kept thinking, "She had better be ok or so help me." He couldn't believe he could let such a thing happen to Rinoa, this was beyond personal, beyond rage.  
  
End of Chapter 8 


	9. Pushed To The Limit

Whew! Coming into the home stretch. I don't own Final Fantasy and I never claimed to. I don't make money creating this story so they have nothing to gain from suing me. All character except for that of Dameon are property of Square Soft and umm… don't take my story out of context with out my permission blah blah blah. Enjoy the 9th chapter and as always please RxR. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Once they were in the air it didn't take long for Selphie to plot out Dameon's course. It would only be a matter of moments before they would be right on him, or at least see where he's been hiding all this time. Irvine was checking to make sure he had all his ammo and was ready to unload on anything that wasn't human. Selphie was busy keeping the Ragnarok on course trying to establish radio contact with any of the gardens but it was no use. Zell was punching the air and doing several kicks when he noticed Quistis, who had just finished talking to Selphie about having a way out of wherever it is that they were headed, sit down and she was shaking. "Quistis, what's wrong? I've never seen you get nervous before." He put his hand on hers. Quistis looked up at him, "I don't know I guess I'm just afraid something is going to happen. That one of us isn't going to be coming back in one piece." Zell started to hug her in hopes that she would stop shaking. "It's ok don't worry nothing is going to happen. We'll most likely just go in bust Rinoa out and then the cavalry will come and we'll get home early." She shook her head. "I don't know I've never felt this strongly about anything…well for how except how I feel about you." He stopped hugging her and looked her straight in the eyes. "Don't worry I promise you I won't let any of us get hurt ya'know?" She smiled back and her shaking stopped. Squall was lost in thought thinking of what Dameon could possible want with Rinoa. As for Laguna well… maybe he has this com.. Selphie interrupted his thoughts. "Oh my, you guys have to come see this." They all rushed towards the main controls and started to look out the front. And there it was, hundreds upon thousands of monsters were there, flying in circles around what looked like the mouth of a cave. The rest were like drones just standing around keeping the area safe. They all turned to Squall for guidance. Quistis spoke first. "So we're here Squall, what do you want us to do?" He had a look of deep concentration. All he wanted to do was to fire all the ammo they had on board and tear them all a new one until there was nothing left. But that would just get himself and his team killed. They all kept looking at him. Finally Irvine put his hand on Squalls shoulder. "You know we're her for you, we always will be, to fight with you and to do what ever it takes to get Rinoa back." Squall smiled. He had forgotten how loyal and great a group of friends he really had. Zell jumped in slapping both Irvine and Squall on the back. "Now that's what I'm talking about lets get in there and show'em what we've got!" Squall moved towards Selphie while Irvine turned towards Zell. "Don't touch me Zell." Zell just smiled and turned away. "Whatever. Huh great now I sound like Squall." Every one shook their heads; this was no time to joke around. Squall went back to looking over the area. "There's bound to be a way we can sneak past them, land the Ragnarok and make our way to the cave without being noticed." But it was too late they had been spotted. The dragons and anything else that could fly were coming at them.  
  
Selphie started shooting the main cannon while warming up the blaster. They came all at once, the Ragnarok shot a good thirty of them down but for every one that went down ten more came to take it's place, Selphie wasn't use to this kind of air combat but did her best to out maneuver them. Selphie tried to radio for help one last time but one of the dragons must have crashed into their transmitter Every one but Squall were strapped down to their seats; there wasn't really anything they could do. Finally the blaster cannon was charged up. In what would most likely be known as the longest six seconds of all time, Selphie had Squall help her aim the cannon at the large group of monsters gathered near the mouth of the cave. But just as he was about to fire Craboom! The Ragnarok shook uncontrollably and Squall was hurled from his seat. "One of them must have blown a fuel tank! Selphie!" She was way ahead of him punching at the controls trying to get them to respond. "Yeah I know, I know I gotta dump the fuel tanks or what's left of them anyway." Squall tried to make his way to one of the seats and strapped himself in; as he buckled in he turned to his team. "Brace yourselves we're going down!" When he looked back to the front of the ship he saw the ground rushing up towards them. The next thing they all knew they were upside down. The squad unbuckled themselves from their seats and were about to climb out of the ship when they realized they were completely surrounded. Squall had to come up with a plan and quick. "Squall what are we going to do" Irvine asked in a rather nervous tone. "Hm…Selphie is the blaster cannon still operational?" Selphie climbed her way to the cockpit and checked the equipment. "Yeah it's still working but I'm afraid we can only use it once, anymore and it could blow up on us. Quistis walked up to Squall. "So what's your plan?" Squall went to the door and pried it open with his gunblade. "On my signal Selphie, I want you to shoot the cannon so that it hits near the mouth of the cave, that should create a path for us to follow. Not to mention it should also take out a great deal of the monsters around us and the cave entrance." They all nodded in unison, and then Squall gave Selphie the signal. With a mighty clash the cannon fired rocking the ship. The path of the bullet ripped through the monsters and blasting a great deal of them away when it exploded into the ground ahead.  
  
The squad came out rushing with Squall in the lead. But there were so many monsters that that it wasn't long before they had to start fighting them off on their own. Squall cut straight through two, flipped back and let out his renzokuken, with each slice he cut through one monster then another and another. Whatever he didn't slice through he would kick or punch out of his way. With every step meant taking at least five of the monsters in his way. At first he would just wound them enough to get them off his case. But once he thought about Rinoa, he started gutting off heads, arms, legs, wings, and antennae. He didn't care about what was the right thing to do he just wanted the woman he loved back. He did two quick slashes chopping off a dragons tail and head then turned around and took out five more. His gunblade, jacket and pants were all covered in their blood.  
  
Zell and Selphie weren't too far behind Squall. Zell and his vast number of sweeps, kicks, punches, roundhouse kicks, and many combos' were tearing the monsters apart. He wasn't holding anything back. He would roundhouse one dragon, uppercut a grat, and then pull off a back flip while simultaneously kicking another dragon in the jaw nearly taking its head off in the process. Selphie was a force to be reckoned with as well. It was almost as though she had cast aura on herself but no it was all skill. Using blizzagas she froze the monsters charging towards her, and break them down with her nunchaku. Zell would help her out if she needed it and ram his fist through whatever dragons or T-rexaurs were too big for her to break apart herself. More than one time Zell had to save Selphie from some of the flying monsters that came after them and vise versa. There were so many, but they weren't about to give up. Each of them put themselves in Rinoa's position. There's no way they wouldn't keep fighting, because it's exactly what she would do for any of them. But as he pushed Selphie out of the path of a T-rexaurs tail, it hit Zell in the chest cracking three ribs and tearing a chunk out of his side.  
  
Quistis and Irvine were right behind Selphie and Zell. But Quistis was getting tired of always having to look back at Irvine to make sure Irvine was still with them. To her it seemed like every few seconds he would have to reload his shotgun and she would have to keep those things off his back. But with so many of them it wasn't an easy job. Finally he finished reloading, for a while it seemed like the others had forgotten about them when Zell and Selphie came to help the two catch up to Squall. At this point Zell was bleeding pretty badly and clutch his side in pain. But he didn't stop fighting. He didn't let anyone know about his injuries. Lucky for him every one was too busy fighting to notice. Quistis started to use her whip and rip out one of the monsters throats and firaga the grat the came up behind her. With Irvine reloaded he started shooting left and right. He had great aim and took out everything that came in tree feet of them. Nothing but head and sometimes eyes shots, he spun around and took out one T-rexaur then whipped his gun behind him and took out another one. At one point he was tackled onto the ground by a dragon and had to blow it away at point plank. His once clean trench coat and hat were now covered in green smelly ooze. After he got up and made his way to the others he could see Squall at the mouth of the cave. They had made it.  
  
Once the squad was all there they turned around and used whatever magic they had to keep the monsters away. So far it seemed they had run passed a whole army of monsters and they had a good two minutes before the monsters would reach the cave. Squall started to talk as they all used their magic on the monsters forty yards away from them. "Ok now we made it to the mouth of the cave, again on my signal I want every one to run into the cave and follow me until we find Dameon. Rinoa and Laguna should be there with him. And we can out run most of these monsters without having to use too much ammo and magic on the ones that get too close." As Irvine reloaded he turned to Squall, "We can't just run in through knowing what's in there we need more time to look around in there or we're not going to make it out of here." Squall turned back to face the monsters. "We have to choice, how are we going to get enough time. "I'll stay." Every one turned to see Zell had stopped using his magic and looking at Squall and Irvine. "I'll stay behind and hold them off, that should buy you all enough time to find Rinoa and Laguna. Squall shook his head. "No, we're not leaving you," Zell shouted back. "I'm not giving you a choice! Now hurry go on, they're almost here." Squall looked at Zell and saw the blood on his side. He knew what he was going to do and that he wouldn't be able to talk him out of it. "Thank you." Squall said. They were about to rush when Quistis spoke out. "I'm staying too." Zell shook his head. "No your not, they need you to go in there and help save Rinoa and Laguna." She looked at his arm, gabbing at his side and the blood running down his leg. "Your hurt let me see." Zell backed away, "I'm fine." He said. Quistis started to cry, "I asked you what I would do without you, you promised me I wouldn't have to find out. Don't break your promise to me Zell." He looked back at the monsters. They were getting too close. "I have to do this, because I also promised you I would make sure nobody would get hurt." She looked at him and couldn't stop crying. "You can't ask me to just leave you." He turned his back on her. "I'm not asking." He said. "Now go, and remember no matter what happens I will always love you." Then he kissed her, she then looked back and started running with the others into the cave.  
  
Zell stood there with thousands of monsters rushing towards him, piling on top of each other. But as they reached him they all stopped waiting to see what he would do before they all attacked him at once. Zell spoke out to them. "I am a SeeD class 'A' elite! I will not let any of you hurt my friends. I won't let you pass you hear me! YOU WILL NOT PASS!" The then lashed out at them with his duel combos' as they all tried to jump him, but none of them could get even close. Not even the T-rexaurs. But then one of them clipped him on his side. He nearly fell to the ground in pain. Just then the looked up and unleashed his burning rave. He screamed out and put all his energy strength, and power as his fist hit the ground. A great ball of fire and energy swelled, every thing within a thousand yard radius was engulfed and burned up. Whatever was left was either dead or dying. And so Zell over exerted and exhausted fell to the ground.  
  
As the others ran to find Rinoa, they all felt the ground beneath them shake and a ray of light come from behind. The instantly knew it was Zell. Quistis looked back and so did Selphie; she couldn't believe how brave Zell was to give everything he had to save Rinoa and Laguna. Then they saw it, it took them a little while but they had found where Dameon was. He stood there waiting for them. Rinoa was pinned to the wall; Laguna was laying next to her unconscious. The second they saw this they all started attacking Dameon with Squall leading the charge. Irvine shot at its wings while Selphie and Quistis tried using several magic's to burn and poison him. But it didn't look like it had any effect. Dameon swatted Selphie away with his tail. Then he saw Irvine still shooting at him, one of Irvine's bullets got Dameon right in his eye. This only enraged the beast and he raised his foot to stomp him. Irvine froze; he didn't know what to do he just panicked. Finally Quistis tackled knocking them both out of harms way. Dameon then picked them up and threw them to where Laguna and Rinoa were. Squall tried to stab him with his gunblade but his scales were too hard. He tried going for his under side. Success! He pierced through, and Dameon screamed in pain. Squall tried for a second blow but Dameon knocked him off with his arm. He then saw Selphie powering up another spell and with his tail wiped her towards Quistis. Selphie got up and with tears building up in her eyes yelled at him. "Why? Why are you doing this? Whats the point of this! All those people!" To their surprise he talked back. "They took me from my home, experimented on me and gave me power. Now I will take this power and destroy the world that would have creatures like them in it." Selphie screamed back at him. "But we are all innocent! Why hurt her?!" Dameon laughed. "I was innocent until they came along, now I will exact my vengeance on the world ten fold! Starting with all of you!" Just as he finished Dameon charged at the squad, Squall lost it. He mind was so full of rage towards this…this thing that had cost him a dear friend and was now about to take out the only people in the world he had left, he knew Dameon wouldn't stop till he was done torturing them like he did to the others. Squall screamed as he jumped at Dameon and sliced his hand right off. Squall never knew he had just power, but didn't stop. He let out his renzokuken and just as he was about to stop he let out his most powerful attack, the lion heart. Again he cut through Dameon's scales not stopping till he sliced through bone, blood flew everywhere, Dameon screamed in agony until Squall sliced his throat cutting of his cries. Eventually the giant mass fell over but Squall kept striking. The others stood in awe of Squall's might as he struck down the monster. When it was all over Squall was on his knees crying, still striking at the lifeless heap that once was Dameon. Rinoa went over and began to hold Squall and let him know she and the others were all right thanks to him. It was over, they could go home.  
  
  
  
End Of Chapter 9 


	10. Heros

Sniff* It's so sad, this is the final chapter. I hope you've all had as much fun reading it as I did writing it. I would like to thank all the people that reviewed my story for it was all of you that inspired me to keep writing. And as always I don't own FF8 although I wish I did, all characters are property of Square Soft blah blah blah. Hope you enjoy the final chapter in my story that was originally titled Unforgiven.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
  
  
It had been two weeks after the battle with Dameon. Every one was back to their usual schedules, except for Zell. The mornings were almost the same but without Zell there it was a little to quiet and some how their hour together seemed too short. Zell was spending his last day under the careful watch of Dr. Kadowaki. He was expected to make a full recovery. On that day he was being visited by Quistis who had stayed be his bedside the whole time he was brought back to Balamb Garden. As news of his speedy recovery reached Squall he decided that he would go see Zell and make sure he was really ok; after what happened with Dameon he wasn't really sure Zell was even alive when they found him. He entered Dr. Kadowaki's office and asked if he could see him. As he was walking towards Zell's door he could see through the glass window Zell in the hospital bed talking to Quistis and telling another one of his bad jokes. Squall, after pausing finally entered the room and showed a light smile as Zell turned to look at him. "Hey if it isn't our fearless leader!" Zell shouted. Squall almost started to blush, compliments were still kind of new to him. He looked down at Zell, "Wow Zell your such a mess, and look at you all bandaged up. What are we going to do with you?" Zell started to laugh, "Ha! Squall telling a joke! Well you know me you just can't get rid of me ya'know." Squall looked at Quistis, "Um. could you give a moment alone?" She nodded her head and quietly made her way out. Squall sat in the chair Quistis was just using and looked down as he talked. "I really don't know what to say, what you did that day was very noble of you Zell. I honestly don't know if we could have made it out of that hellhole if it weren't for you. You really are a good friend. But I have to say what you did was also incredibly stupid." Zell almost started to laugh again. "Hey you don't have to tell me that, but at least if anything I proved that in the end I would do anything for you guys." Squall looked at Zell eye to eye. "Your wrong, you proved that even without knowing the part you play is just as important as anyone else's. Anyway it's good to know your going to be ok, I have to go Rinoa is waiting for me. I'll see you when you get out." And with that they shook hands and Squall left the room. As he did Quistis walked back into it. Once the two were all alone they started talking again, about their missions, hopes, aspirations, and of course about how much they meant to each other.  
  
It was still early enough in the day that the sun would not go down for at least another hour or so. Irvine was out on the balcony entrance and Selphie was at the Quad supervising the next Garden event. Squall had just left Rinoa at her room, they were going to go out and she was getting prepared. As he waited for her an announcement come over the intercom system. "Would Commander Squall Leonhart please report to Cid's office? That is all." Squall knocked on Rinoa's door, "I'll be right back I have to go see Cid, and he probably wants my report on what happened with Dameon." He heard her shout back, "Ok I'll be here when you get back." He looked around himself to make sure he had all his things together and headed towards the elevator. Once he entered through the doors he saw Cid waiting for him. "Ah Squall, good. I asked for you to come here because you still haven't given me your report on what happened with Dameon." Squall walked up and saluted. "Of course." Hmm.where do I start? He thought to himself. He told Cid about how both Laguna and Rinoa were kidnapped by Dameon, how they chased after him in the Ragnarok Laguna came in and of how they crashed. He then went on about how they made it to the cave entrance, Zell sacrificing himself so that they could save the others and finally of how he had single handedly killed Dameon. But Squall had a puzzled look to his face. "What about Laguna?" Squall turned around, "What about him?" Cid stood up. "Is he alright? And are you going to." Squall cut him off. "He's fine, once we made it back home I escorted him to Esthar. As for your second question the answer is no. And I'm not going to." Cid walked around his desk. "Why didn't you try to bring Dameon back alive? We could have learned a lot from his body, why did you go through such efforts take him out permanently?" Squall looked down at the ground. "I'd rather not talk about that Sir." Cid pushed on. "You could have let him live and have Dr. Odine lock him up. It would be a risk but there was something else wasn't there?" Squall looked at Cid, "No, that was it. He was just too much of a risk." Cid smiled as he raised an eyebrow. "C'mon what's it worth to you?" Squall nodded his head. "Very well, I want you to push back the usual breakfast time so that my squad and I can have an extra hour together in the mornings." Cid agreed and made his way back to his chair. Squall sighed getting ready to talk. But he didn't know what to say, so Cid stepped in. "It was your squad wasn't it, Dameon threatened to start another massacre with them didn't he?" Squall lifted his head up to speak; breathing heavily he looked up praying to the gods that he didn't choke up. "These people mean the world to me, they're more than just my squad, they're my family. And I couldn't imagine anything worse than having to part with them. There, you happy?" Cid let out a small smile, nodded and let Squall go.  
  
Zell was just leaving Dr. Kadowaki's office, when Selphie saw him and ran straight towards him arms open. She had come to visit him many times in the past two weeks but was always excited to see him. As she jumped on him he let out a short scream; his ribs were still tender and every part of his head still hurt. "So what are you going to do now?" Selphie began. Zell limped as she walked him to his room. "I don't know, doc says to take it easy and I think I'll do just that ya'know?" He looked at her and saw that she was slightly shivering. The sun had gone down, Squall and Rinoa had already left. He put his jacket around her to keep her warm and she smiled at him. Once they reached his room Selphie tried to get in. "Need someone to tuck you in?" Zell looked at her and grinned back. "I'd bet you'd love that, but you know Quistis and I are togeth.." Selphie cut him off. "So what do you think is going to happen from now on?" Zell let out a sigh, "I don't know, but you heard the announcement. If we all get up at our usual time we can all hang out for an extra hour together! It'll be great." Selphie jumped up and down gave Zell a big hug and wished him a good night. He wished her one back and then they went into their rooms witch were right next to each other.  
  
Since Dameon had killed so many people Laguna felt a little responsible, so he had a mural built in honor of the family and friends of the deceased. It was a statue of Squall kneeling with his head hung down, crying and his gunblade being held in front of him with the remains of Dameon surrounding the edges of the sculpture, angels also crying hovered over as part of the mural. Squall and Rinoa were there staring up at it. It was the least Laguna could have done, seeing as how he was partly responsible for the tragedy Squall thought. He held Rinoa's hand tightly, he had never felt such rage, the thought of losing all his friends and her. Then there was Laguna. Rinoa could see how tormented Squall was, he wanted to forgive but just didn't know how to let all his anger towards Laguna go. Still staring at the mural Squall started talking to Rinoa. "Tell me it gets easier." She started hugging his arm. "You mean life? What do you want me to tell you?" He reached over with his other hand and put it on hers. "Lie to me." Rinoa looked back at the mural. "Very well. Yes the older you get the simpler life gets. The good guys are strong and true. The bad guys are distinguishable by their pointy horns and black hats. Everyone lives happily ever after and no one ever dies."  
  
The End 


End file.
